Helicopter-airplane



Dec. 23, 1952 D. c. PRINCE HELICOPTER AIRPLANE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 27, 1946 Dec. 23, 1952 D. c. PRINCE HELICOPTER AIRPLANE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 27, 1946 e y m m T- armw m eC t vmf my; aZ y b Dec. 23, 1952 D. c. PRINCE HELICOPTER AIRPLANE Filed June 27, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 InQentov David C.F r-ince,

Fig.4.

5; Ta /N.

His Attorney.

Dec. 23, 1952 D. c. PRINCE 2,622,826

HELICOPTER AIRPLANE Filed June 27, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventor: David Clprince,

His Attorfiey.

Patented Dec. 23, 1952 HELICOPTER-AIRPLANE David 0. Prince, Schenectady, N. Y., assigncr to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application June 2'7, 1946, Serial No. 679,652

3 Claims. 1

The invention relates to aircraft, particularly airfoil sustained aircraft for flying both Vertically and horizontally and to improved variable warp rotary airfoil convertible sustaining and, propelling means therefor.

One of the principal objects is to provide an improved form of convertible airfoil sustained aircraft that can hover like a helicopter and slowly and safely ascend vertically from or descend vertically into a small restricted spaced and still fly as fast or faster horizontally than a conventional airplane.

A further object is to provide the improved aircraft with a high speed low drag airplane wing structure and fuselage equipped at one end with special vertical axis landing and takeoff gear and at the opposite end with an improved form of power driven centrifugally extended convertible propelling and sustaining variable warp and pitch rotary blade mechanism for effecting and variably controlling the vertical ascent, descent, and hovering of the aircraft, as well as the horizontal flight. Such an improved convertible airfoil sustained aircraft has a wide field of service since it is entirely free from high speed landing and takeoff runways as well as many other limitations involved in the present-day methods of basing and flying military, commercial and private aircraft of conventional form.

Another object is to provide an improved form of convertible aircraft having wings and a pusher propeller capable of backing the aircraft vertically into the air as well as propelling the craft forwardly in horizontal flight.

A special object is to provide an improved form of power driven convertible aircraft propelling and sustaining rotor having twistable or variable warp blades of the articulated centrifugally extended variable coning thrust type combined with improved control mechanism therefor capable of variably controlling not only the averag pitch of the blades and the individual blade pitch cyclically but also selectively varying the twist or warp of the blades over a relatively wide range. This widely variable blade pitch and warp combination enables the improved propeller to serve effectively for both airplane and helicopter flight. Aircraft propulsion apparatus capable of fulfilling this object and described hereinafter also forms a portion of the subject matter described and claimed in my application entitled Propulsion Apparatus for Convertible Flight Aircraft, Serial No. 291,493, filed as a division of the present application on or about June 3, 1952.

With modern construction the improved convertible aircraft may be built with about 6 pounds of weight or less per horsepower. Present forms of rigid blade variable pitch airplane propellers now available provide a maximum vertical stalled thrust of only about 3 pounds per horsepower. But a modern helicopter sustaining rotor with articulated variable coning centrifugally extended blades is capable of providing a maximum lifting thrust of something over 6 pounds per horsepower. However, the blades of both th conventional airplane propeller and the helicopter sustaining rotor have a fixed twist or Warp adapted for their respective normal operating ranges.

In accordance with the present invention, the improved aircraft is provided with an improved convertible form of power driven twistable blade propelling and sustaining rotor and variable twist and pitch control mechanism therefor in order to obtain an upward maximum stalled thrust greater than the total weight of the aircraft in landing and takeoff. This enables the craft to rise vertically from the ground and to hover when the variable twist and pitch of the rotor blades are both made relatively small. In descent the blade pitch can be slightly reversed in order to provide for continued free auto-rotation in the case of engine failure. In high speed horizontal airplane flight, the required horizontal thrust of the rotor becomes must less since the lift-drag ratio of the airfoils for sustaining the weight of the improved convertible aircraft in high speed horizontal flight may vary approximately from 10 to 20. Thus. the forward thrust required of the rotor is only about 1 6 or /20 of the total weight of the plane. But in this case, both the blade pitch and twist necessary to produce such high speed horizontal flight is very much greater than the pitch and twist required in ascent, hovering or descent because the craft is advancing very rapidly through the air. Hence the principle of the present invention is to obtain successful convertible aircraft operation by widely varying the twist or warp conformation of the rotor blades as well as their pitch in accordance with the widely different vertical and horizontal flight conditions. Each blade is variably twisted or warped retrogressively between root and tip and the pitch adjusted so as to provide in effect a substantially constant angle of incidence with respect to the air in the relatively slow ascent, hovering, descent of the aircraft as Well as in high speed horizontal flight thereof.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description, the appended claims, and the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a schematic illustration of an improved form of tractor propeller convertible aircraft embodying the improvements of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a schematic illustration of a pusher propeller convertible aircraft embodying the improvements of the present invention; Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the pusher propeller convertible aircraft indicated in Fig. 2 and showing more fully the constructional details; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the improved combined variable pitch, cyclic pitch, and variable blade twist or warp propeller construction together with the coordinate control and driving elements therefor with some of these parts in section to more clearly reveal the details of construction, Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the selective control circuit connections for the small but powerful electric motor driven mechanism that varies the twist or warp of the propeller blades shown in Fig. 4; Figs. 6 and 7 are perspective views partly in section of two different modified forms of variable warp propeller blade construction; and Fig. 8 is a partial view of one of the transverse ribs of the blade shown in Fig. 7 illustrating more clearly the detail construction of the improved form of locking type blade warping mechanism.

In carrying out the present invention in one form as shown in Fig. 1, the improved convertible aircraft I8 is constructed with a streamline high speed airplane type fuselage it provided with diminutive low drag wings I2 for sustaining the weight of the "craft ID in horizontal flight and with the improved form of variable pitch, variable cyclic pitch and variable twist or warp propeller I3 mounted axially at the nose of fuselage ill. The detailed structure of the improved propeller l3 and its twistable centrifugally extended coning blades I4 together with the variable pitch, variable cyclic pitch, and variable twist control mechanism therefor are shown in Fig. 4 and described more fully hereinafter.

As indicated in Fig. 1, suitable collapsible landing gear i5 is provided for maintaining the craft 58 standing upright on the ground upon its tail. Hence the craft If can rise vertically into the air under control of a pilot in the pilots compartment it with the improved form of propeller I3 acting as a tractor and with relatively low pitch and warp of blades i l to provide a readily controllable vertical coning thrust component greater than the total Weight of the aircraft Ill. The vertical ascent, hovering and descent of the aircraft i3 is readily controlled by varying the average pitch of the propeller blades It and the driving power pplied thereto. cyclic pitch control of the blades i l enables the attitude of the craft if: in the air to be readily and quickl varied for sidewise maneuvering and stabilizing purposes in the vertical attitude a or for horizontal flight in the horizontal attitude b.

In horizontal flight of the aircraft It the thrust of propeller I3 is materially reduced and the maximum pitch and warp of the blades I4 is provided when maximum forward speed is desired. The propeller cyclic blade pitch control may then b utilized to direct the course of the aircraft i; on of the usual rudder and elevator surfaces. land, the craft IE3 is again headed straight up in the air into attitude (1 and the blade pitch and warp reduced either for autorotation or just below the hovering value so that the craf is will float downwardly at a desired low rate of descent.

In carrying out the invention in the preferred The variable form, shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the aircraft Ifla is constructed with low drag sustaining wings II for sustaining the weight of the craft in horizontal flight and with a pusher propeller I3 of the improved form shown in Fig. 4 mounted axially at the tail. Suitable collapsible landing gear I5 is provided for standing the craft Illa upright on the ground on its nose. Thus upon proper adjustment by the pilot of the blade pitch and twist controls for propeller I3 as well as the engine throttle E3 to provide sufficient driving power, the craft Iila can be made to back into the air and hover nose down in attitude 0. To convert the craft to horizontal flight when a sufficient altitude is reached, both the pitch and warp of propeller I3 are reversed and the craft Ita then will accelerate towards the ground until it reaches flying speed, as indicated in Fig. 2, at which point it may be straightened out by manipulation of the propeller cyclic pitch control and directed thereby into horizontal high speed flight in attitude 0! with maximum reverse pitch and warp of the blades of propeller I3.

To prepare for landing, the pitch and warp of propeller I3 again is reduced and in case a quick stop should become imperative, the pitch and warp of blades M may be reversed to act as a powerful brake to arrest the forward progress of the craft Ida or even reverse the craft into attitude 6. The craft Iila then can descend, nose down, at minimum speed, due to autorotation of blades It, even with power off. In case the pilot decides to reduce the rate of descent, the power can again be applied to drive the propeller l3 and the pitch and warp of blades It changed until the most efiicient conditions desired for hovering are obtained. The craft Illa thus can approach the ground as slowly as desired so as to make landing even in a small restricted area an exceedingly simple and straightforward operation.

As shown more in detail in Fig. 3, the pusher propeller aircraft Ida may be provided with a fuselage l I of longitudinally extended streamline form with a pair of wings i2 extending oppositely therefrom and with the pusher propeller H3 in suitable axial alignment with the fuselage I I for high speed horizontal flight. The fuselage may be provided with suitable recesses H for receiving the retractable landing gear i5 when the aircraft is in flight. The landing gear I5 is mounted at the nose of the aircraft Ida opposite the pusher propeller I3 and is arranged to maintain the fuselage ll standing upright on the ground with the axis of propeller I3 vertical as shown to insure ample space for free rotation of the extended blades M that may overlap the Wings I2 as shown.

Suitable power means 26 shown in the form of a conventional internal combustion engine having a suitable power control throttle I 8 is provided for driving the rotating blades I4 of the propeller I3 through the agency 'of the usual overrunning oneway drive clutch mechanism ZI, shaft 22, the speed reducing gearing 23 and the hollow propeller shaft 2 3. The countertorque indicated by arrow T and exerted by the propeller E3 in powered flight is balanced by suitable means, preferably by a pair of oppositely disposed small auxiliary propellers 27 and 28 which are connected respectively by the shafts 29, 38 so as to be driven whenever propeller I3 is rotating, preferably being driven through suitable beveled gearing directly from the shaft 22 since shaft 22 is released from the engine 29 in case of engine failure by means of the oneway clutch drive mechanism 2!. The balancing torque exerted by the two auxiliary propellers El, 28 may be varied by varying the pitch of the auxiliary propeller blades under the control of the twistable handle 3|. As shown, handle 3i operates through the push-pull flexible cables 32, 33 to vary the pitch of the blades of both of the auxiliary propellers 21, 28 by any usual form of blade pitch changing mechanism. In addition suitable electric motor operated control mechanism M is provided for oppositely rotating each of the auxiliary propellers 21 and 28 about the axis of their drive shafts 29 and 39 so that these auxiliary propellers both can be aligned axially with the main propeller I3 as indicated so as to supplement the thrust thereof in airplane flight.

The twistable control handle 3! is shown as carried on a cyclic pitch control lever 35 that controls the cyclic pitch of the main propeller blades [4 through the agency of the mechanism shown in Fig. l as explained hereinafter. The average blade pitch control lever 36 may be mounted on the opposite side of the \pilots seat 31 in the pilot's compartment 56 and is connected through the mechanism shown in Fig. i so as to vary the average pitch of the main propeller blades M.

As shown in Fig. 4, the main propeller hollow drive shaft 241 is rotatably mounted by means of the ball bearings id and is provided with the two-way ball thrust bearings ll to transmit the heavy axial thrust developed by the propeller it to a strong structural member 42 of the fuselage I I. The driving gear 23 is fixed to the hollow shaft 24 by the key 43.

The hollow propeller shaft 2% is provided with a blade pivot head 45, preferably formed integral therewith, for mounting the two pivot yokes 46 and ll on the pivot pins 8 and 449. The pivot yoke 46 rotatably carries the tubular spar 50 that constitutes the main supporting and tension member as well as the warp aXis for the twistable blade 54. As shown spar 5% extends through the twistable blade i l along the quarter chord of the blade envelope 5! so that the reactive aerodynamic forces are substantially balanced on the opposite sides of the axis formed by the spar 5G.

The variable warp blade 14 is provided with an outer twistable envelope or skin 5| f airfoil section preferably formed of relatively thin but strong metal or other material such as plywood having suitable corrugations 51a provided along the trailing edge thereof so as to provide sufficient lengthwise flexibility to allow substantial twisting of the blade M without wrinkling of envelope St. The envelope or skin is carried by a series of transverse ribs 52, 53, and 54 and 55. The outer rib 55 at the tip of the blade is rigidly secured to the spar 5% while the other ribs 52, 53, and 5 3 are suitably mounted for rotation about the spar 58 as an axis.

In accordance with the present invention, any suitable twist control mechanism may be provided for obtaining the force required to twist the blade i l. Preferably a worm gear 56 is attached to the inner rib 52 as disclosed and claimed in the Bensen application, Serial Number 6'7 9,789, assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, and filed June 27, 1946, concurrently herewith and now Pat. No. 2,584,663. The gear 55 is arranged to be rotated by worm 5'! carried in the bracket 58 which is fixedly secured to the spar 56. Thus upon rotation of worm 51,

worm Wheel 55 is rotated about spar Ell to carry the inner rib 52 in a corresponding direction and thereby transmit a twisting force through skin 5| to rotate the succeeding ribs 53 and 54. In this way rib M can be angularly displaced about spar 5G a limited amount determined by the engagement or stop pin 6!] with one side of the notch 6| formed in the rib 5d. Rib 53 likewise is provided with a similar pin 62 and notch 63 of greater width than notch 6| for limiting the angular displacement of rib 53 with respect to the spar 59. Likewise pin 6% and notch 65, which is wider than notch 63, is provided for limiting the angular displacement of the inner rib 52. Thus the width of the notches El, 63, and 6 progressively increases so as to provide a desired retrogressive blade twisting from root to tip when worm wheel 56 is rotated in each direction.

The tip of the blade 66 is rigidly carried by the rib 55 which, in turn, is fixedly secured to the spar 5i] and hence is twisted only the slight amount permitted by the torsional resiliency of the spar 5i]. Worm 5? is driven by a small but powerful electric motor El through the flexible shaft 68 as disclosed and claimed in the above Bensen application. Thus by reversing motor 61 worm gear 57 can be rotated in each direction. The motor 6'3 is mounted by means of block Ed directly upon the main propeller shaft 2 and the electrical reversing connections of motor 6'! are established through the two slip rings iii, H having the brushes l2 and 173 in sliding electrical contact therewith and with the limit switches 7 3 and '15 connected in the circuit as shown in Fig. 5 and arranged to interrupt the motor circuit when the rib 52 is angularly displaced a predetermined maximum amount in each direction required to torsionaliy flex spar 5i! a predetermined amount.

To control the twisu or warp of blade i l, the reversing switch it is provided with a manual operating member ll located for convenient operation by the pilot on the instrument board of the plane as shown in Fig. 3 so as to enable the pilot to reversely energize the blade twisting motor 81 as desired. As indicated in Fig. 5 when reversing switch it is moved to the right, motor 6'! is energized from battery B through switch 16, conductor 18, brush l2, slip ring l5, conductor 79, limit switch '55 to rotate worm gear 513 in a clockwise direction and thereby angularly displace ribs 52, 53, E i with respect to rib 55 and the blade tip 66 so as to twist the outer skin 5| of blade E2 to provide a predetermined limited twist or warp of the blade 5? suitable for maximum lifting thrust under stalled conditions and thus best adapted for hovering as well as vertical ascent and descent of the aircraft. When reversing switch it is moved to the opposite position, motor (it is energized through conductor 8E3, brush l3, slip ring l'i, conductor 8i and limit switch ill to rotate motor 67 in a direction to angularly displace worm whee 55 in the opposite direction. In this case the slots 65, '53 and GI permit a materially increased angular displacement of the series of ribs 52, 53, and 54, so as to provide a predetermined maximum twist or warp of blade l2 suitable for the high blade pitch reduced propelling thrust under airplane flying conditions.

In case the propeller mechanism i3 is to be used as a tractor propeller on the aircraft ill shown in Fig. 1, the pin and slot progressive angular displacement limiting connection of the ribs 52, 53, 54 are suitably arranged on one side for a minimum positive twist or warp most suitable for an average blade pitch of from about or slightly negative to about 12 degrees so as to provide the maximum propeller aerodynamic 'efliciency as demanded by the aircraft flight attitude. The slots iii, 03, and 65 are proportioned on the other side to provide a materially increased maximum positive twist or warp suitable for the most efficient aerodynamic operation when the average pitch of the blade is materially increased to some positive value such as'30 to 40 degrees. In order to avoid excessive strains therein, the blade envelope or skin E preferably is formed so as normally to have a twist or warp conformation suitable for a pitch about midway between the minimum and maximum average pitch values cited above. Hence motor 61 must reversely twist the blade I4 from the normal conformation to each cited value.

When propeller I3 is to be used as a pusher propeller on aircraft lea shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the same minimum twist is provided by slots 65, 63 and 65 for substantially the same minimum pitch of the blades to obtain the maximum propeller aerodynamic efficiency as demanded by the aircraft flight attitude. However, in this case the other sides of slots 6!, 62 and 65 are so proportioned that the twist of the blade can be reversed to provide the necessary aerodynamic efficiency when the pitch of the pusher propeller blades is reversed to a substantial degree such as 30 or 40 degrees in propelling the aircraft of Figs. 2 and 3 in horizontal flight. Thus it will be seen that in the case of the pusher propeller both the twist and the pitch of blades i i are reversed in order to provide for successful operation of the pusher type aircraft shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The pitch of the propeller blades i0 is varied by means of the pilots dual control levers 35 and 3G. Lever 35 can vary the pitch of the blade cyclically while lever 30 controls the average pitch. As shown in Fig. 4 the cyclic pitch control lever 35 is provided with a split ball head 85 mounted for universal angular movement within the surrounding spherical casing 85 that in turn reciprocates within the surrounding cylindrical guide tube 8i under control of the average pitch control lever 35. Lever 36 is fixed to the shaft 88 carrying the slotted arms 89 that engage with pins 90 to raise or lower the casing 86 in the cylindrical guide tube 3?.

Motion is transmitted from the ball head 85 of the cyclic pitch control lever 35 by means of the three equilaterally spaced ball jointpins 93, 9 2-, and 95, each of which projects laterally from a corresponding one of the three sector shaped push-pull rods 96 that extend upwardly through the hollow propeller drive shaft 2 3 and are provided with a corresponding lateral ball joint pin 9? equilaterally spaced at the upper end thereof. The three ball joint pins 9! are seated in the inner bearing race 98 having the outer race 99 thereof of spherical shape and seated within the'surrounding spherical collar 30 that in turn is mounted for up and down sliding movement within the cylindrical guide tube lill. These connections enable the angular movement of the cyclic pitch control lever 35 in any direction to produce a relative displacement of the three segmental based push rods 90 such as to cause both the inner and outer bearing races 98 and 99 to assume a planar position that is always parallel to the plane of the spherical head 85 of the cyclic pitch control lever 35. In other words, whenever lever 35 is moved to tilt head 85 in any direction the bearing races 98 and'99 tilt correspondingly in the same direction.

Motion is transmitted from the outer ball race 99 by means of the diametrically opposed pins H32 and I03 that extend through corresponding longitudinal slots I04, I05 formed in the guide tube NH. The motion is transmitted from pin E02 through the ball jointed connecting rod I06 to the curved lever arm l9? that extends from bracket 58 around the propeller drive head 45 so as to bringthe lower ball joint of connecting rod I08 substantially in alignment with the axis of the blade mounting pin 48'when the ball races es and 99 lie in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the propeller shaft 24.

Whenever the ball races 98 and 99 are tilted from the plane perpendicular to the axis of shaft 24, the pin I02 will project on one side or the other of the perpendicular plane during each half revolution of the propeller shaft 24. As a result, an oscillating movement will be imparted through ball jointed connecting rod I06 to arm [6? to produce a cyclic pitch change of the propeller blade I4. This is due to the fact that bracket 58 is fixed to spar 50 and thus serves to oscillate the entire blade 14 about the axis of spar 56 which is rotatably mounted in the pivoted yoke 46.

It will be understood that the opposite pin IE3 is connected through a similar ball jointed connecting rod I08 to produce an equal but opposite cyclic pitch variation of the other blade of the propeller 13. Consequently, whenever the cyclic pitch control lever 35 is moved in any direction out of alignment with the axis of'the propeller shaft 2 then the two coning blades of the propeller It will each produce a cyclically unbalanced aerodynamic reaction at the point of maximum pitch, thus causing the blades to shift the axis of the cone and thereby produce an unbalanced force tending to shift the axis of the propeller shaft 24. In this way the cyclic pitch control enables the attitude of the aircraft to be varied as desired by shifting the axis of the propeller shaft 26. Consequently, the cyclic pitch control enables the aircraft to be steered in any direction without recourse to the usual rudders, ailerons or other usual forms of aircraft control.

The axial thrust component of propeller I3 is varied by shifting the pitch control lever 35 and correspondingly varying the power applied to drive the propeller. When pitch control lever 36 is moved to slide casing 86 upwardly in guide tube 0? then all three of the segmental push rods are moved simultaneously. This results in a corresponding sliding movement of ball races $8 and'fiil together with sleeve I00 upwardly in the guide tube [31. Hence connecting rod I06 is raised correspondingly to tilt arm I01 and bracket 58 and thereby rotate spar 50 -to increase the pitch of blade 14. In a similar way connecting rod N28 is raised to correspondingly increase the pitch of the other blade of the propeller. Thus the coning angle of both blades is increased simultaneously and when the driving power is correspondingly increasedthe axial coning thrust component is likewise increased. In this way the axial coning thrust component of propeller It can be made greater than the total weight of the aircraft in order to cause the aircraft to ascend vertically from the ground.

When the propeller mechanism shown in Fig. l is used as a pusher propeller in the form of aircraft Ida shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the vertical ascent of the craft Ita is continued until a substantial altitude is reached. Thereupon the cyclic pitch control lever 3| may be utilized to shift the attitude of the aircraft Iila in the air somewhat from the vertical and the average blade pitch may be reduced by operation of lever 35 so as to enable the aircraft to gain forward speed. When sufficient forward speed has been attained and the attitude of the craft Illa changed sufiiciently to provide for normal horizontal flight, both the pitch and twist of the propeller blades are reversed by manipulation of the corresponding controls 35, 36, and ill, so as to continue impelling the craft forward in horizontal flight at relatively high speed. In this case the small countertorque propellers 21 and 28 which serve to counterbalance the torque of the main propeller during ascent are arranged to be revolved about the axis of their drive shafts 29 and 39 by motors 34 so as to add their aerodynamic propulsive force to that of the main propeller in the line of forward horizontal flight.

When it becomes desirable to land the pusher aircraft shown in Figs. 2 and 3, both the pitch and warp of the propeller blades I l are again reduced and if desired reversed in an emergency so as to provide a powerful reverse axial thrust tending to arrest the forward flight of the aircraft. Thus the reverse propeller thrust can be made sufficient to cause the craft to tend to fly backwards or at least hover suspended nosedown on the propeller. Such ability to stop quickly and even reverse the direction of flight in an emergency enables accidents to be avoided. With the hovering aircraft suspended nosedown from the propeller, the driving power may be reduced and the reversed blade pitch and twist also reduced to the values suitable for autogyration independent of the driving engine. In this way the craft Ilia can be floated slowly downward until a suitable landing area is selected. Then by means of the pitch control levers 35 and 36 the plane readily may be maneuvered over the area and a slow and safe descent thereto effected.

In the modified variable warp propeller blade I l construction shown in Fig. 6 improved means are provided for transmitting the twisting forces independently of the blade skin or envelope. Thus the blade envelope 5! may be formed of very thin readily twistable material pressed into r airfoil section and provided with a series of expansible corrugations em along the trailing edge for providing relative lengthwise movement thereof upon warping of the blade It. The thin envelope BI is carried on a series of transverse ribs H5, H6, It? and H8, each of which is mounted for rotation about the axis of the composite spar formed by the two concentric tubes 12%] and IZI. The two tubes 52% and I2I are relatively rotatable but are rigidly fastened together at their outer ends with the tip of the blade 66 rigidly fixed thereto. It will be understood that the inner end of the inner tube IE6) is provided with suitable articulated pivotal and rotational connections 33 and with the hub of the propeller in the same manner as shown in Fig. 4 and previously described so as to enable variable pitch and cyclic pitch control of the blade I l to be obtained. The outer tube IZI carries rigidly secured thereto a worm gear 55 with the driving worm 5? thereof mounted in the arm 53 and driven through the flexible shaft in substantially the same manner as shown in Fig. 4. Thus by rotating the worm wheel 53 the inner end of the outer tube [2| can be rotated relative to the inner tube I20 due to the torsional resiliency of both tubes. The outer tube I2I serves to carry the series of ribs I I5, I I6 and II! that are rigidly secured thereto along therewith to retrogressively warp the thin blade envelope 5I from root to tip of blade Id. The angular displacement of each rib in the series automatically is'progressively less than the preceding rib due to the cumulative twisting of the outer tube IZI relative to the inner tube I2ii while the tip 68 of the blade Hi is maintained relatively fixed since it is rigidly secured to the outer end of the two concentric tubes I23 and [2| which constitute the warp axis of the blade. Preferably the concentrictubes I29 and I2I extend lengthwise through the blade I4 approximately at the quarter chord axis of the blade in order not only to maintain in balance the aerodynamic forces on the opposite sides of the blade axis but also equalize the resilient torsional forces. During the warping of the blade the corrugations 5I a formed at the trailing edge thereof are progressively straightened out so as to provide for the slight increase in length of the blade envelope 5I at the trailing edge required to enable warping thereof without wrinkling or undue distortion.

The two concentric tubes I2t and I2! preferably are tapered and formed to provide a running fit therebetween such as to enable a desired relative rotation throughout the length thereof even though the outer ends are fixedly secured together. If desired, the running fit can be made such that a substantial friction between the two relatively rotatable tubes I26) and I2! is produced in order to dampen out any flutter of the blade in case the aerodynamic forces tend to become unbalanced in flight.

In the blade modification shown in Fig. 7 a similar series of ribs of which only ribs and I25 are shown are rotatably mounted upon the single tubular spar I29 so as to carry the thin twistable blade envelope BI having corrugations am. It will be understood that the axial spar I29 is provided with articulate pivotal and rota tional mounting connections with the propeller hub the same as previously described and extends through the blade envelope El to provide a warp axis at substantially the quarter chord axis of the blade. In this modification rib I25 is provided with a cam shaped opening its through which the rotatable warp control tube or rod Isl extends. The control tube or rod ISI is rotatably mounted in the brackets I32 that are suitably secured, as by welding, to the main tubular spar 529. The control rod I3! carries an eccentric cam finger I33 shown as mounted in the arm [-35 fixed to rod I3 l.

When the warp control rod I31 is in the angular position shown in Fig. '7, the cam finger I33 engages with one side of the cam opening I30 so as to maintain the rotatable rib I25 in a fixed angular position with the control rod WI and cam finger -I 33 engaging the opposite sides of the cam opening I30. Upon rotation of the control rod I3I' in a clockwise direction, the finger I33 is carried into a diametrically opposite position with respect to the cam opening I33 as shown in Fig. 8, thus rotating the rib I25 from its initial position indicated by the dotted lines into a different angular position, as shown by the full lines. The shape of the cam opening I34 is such that the rib I25 is locked in each position by the engagement of the cam finger E33 and the con- 11 trol rod i3I with the opposite sides of the open- 2'.

The adjacent rib I26 is provided with a similar cam opening I30 with which the control rod I3I and the cam finger I31 cooperate in substantially the same Way as 'just described. However, the arm I38 carries the cam finger I3? closer to the axis of the rod I3I so that the angular movement of rib I26 is not as great as the angular movement of rib I25. It will be understood that the successive ribs of blade I4 are provided with similar cam shaped openings and earns, progressively closer to the axis of the control shaft I3I and proportioned to effect a desired retrogressive'warping of the blade envelope 5I from root to tip upon rotation of the warp control shaft IBI to the angular position shown in Fig. 8. In the opposite angular position of the warp control shaft I3I, the series of cam fingers and cam openings may provide a zero twist conformation of the blade or a slight twist suitable for autorotation. In both cases the warp control shaft I3I and the series of cam fingers-carried thereby effectively lock all ofthe ribs rotatably carried by the axial supporting spar I29 in a predetermined angular position thereon so as to provide a correspondingly fixed desired twist conformation to the blade envelope 5I. It will be understood that the blade I4 shown in Fig. 7 has the tip thereof rigidly secured to the outer end of the spar I29 and that the latter is provided with variable average pitch and cyclic pitch control means in the same way as previously described.

The warp control rod I3i may be reversely rotated by means of a worm and worm gear as previously described, or by other suitable means such as shown in Fig. 7.

As shown in Fig. '7, the warp control rod I3I is biased to return to the position of warp for autorotation and hovering by the relatively strong biasing spring I49. The reverse actuating cable spool MI is fixed to the end of shaft I3I and the actuating cable I42 therefor passes over pulleys I43 and I44 and is connected by means of the rod I45 to the plunger I48 of the hydraulic actuator I41. Thus by controlling the supply of fluid under pressure to actuator I I? the rod I3l can be reversely rotated against the bias of spring I40 to warp the blade Id. The

hydraulic fluid for controlling actuator Idimay be supplied from the pilot station through a conduit I43, and the fluid pressure in conduit I48. controlled at the pilot station by any conventional means such as a hand or food operated hydraulic pressure cylinder (not shown). It will be understood that a similar cable mechanism is provided for enabling the actuator IM to warp the opposite blade of the propeller simultaneously.

The location of the pulleys I43 and M4 preferably is such as to give the minimum change in length of the actuator cable, either, as the blades cone about their hinge axis pin 48 or are rotated by the pitch control arm ifil. These lengths can be made as invariant as are necessary on an arrangement similar to that em ployed on a dental drill. However, since the blade is intended to be in one of two positions most of the time and in each of these positions the cam actuators. I33 and I3! are on center, a small amount of cam movement does not mas terially affect the blade warp.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

- mater.

1. An aircraft provided with airfoils for sustaining said aircraft in substantially horizontal flight and having in combination a power driven rotary propellerin axial alignment with the longitudinal axis of said aircraft, said propeller having coning blades articulated at and radially extending from the propeller hub, means for varying the pitch of said propeller blades to provide a'vertical propeller thrust greater than the weight of said aircraft when said aircraft is in a vertical position and to provide horizontal thrust and lift to maintain said aircraft in a substantially horizontal position, means for varying the cyclic pitch of said propeller to shift the thrust line in relation to the longitudinal axis of said aircraft, and power driven rotary auxiliary propellers mounted at the tips of said airfoils for rotation in planes parallel to the plane of said airfoils to provide torque control of said aircraft about its longitudinal axis.

2. An aircraft capable of both vertical and horizontal flight having in combination, a fuselage provided with sustaining airfoils for horizontal flight, arotary main propeller in axial alignmentwith said fuselage and provided with power driving means, said propeller having variable pitch coning blades articulated at and radially extending from the propeller hub, means for controlling the pitch of said blades to provide a vertical propeller thrust greater than the weight of said aircraft when said aircraft is in a vertical position and to provide a strong horizontal thrust and lift when said aircraft is in a-horizontal position, and power driven auxiliary propellers mounted at the tips of said airfoils, said auxilary propellers being adjustable to positions for rotation in planes parallel to the plane of said airfoils and to positions for rotation in planes parallel to the plane of rotation of said main propeller to provide torque control of said aircraft about its longitudinal axis when said aircraft is in a vertical position, and to provide a supplemental horizontal thrust when said aircraft is in horizontal flight.

3. An aircraft capable of both vertical and horizontal flight having in combination a fuselage provided with sustaining airfoils for horizontal flight, a rotary propeller in axial alignment with the longitudinal axis of said fuselage and provided with power driving means, said propeller having centrifugally extended warpable variable pitch coning blades articulated at the propeller hub, means for controlling the pitch and warp of said propeller blades to provide a vertical propeller thrust greater than th weight of said aircraft when said aircraft is in a vertical position and to provide lift and horizontal thrust to maintain said aircraft in a horizontal position, and power driven thrust devices rotatably mounted at the tips of said airfoils on a pivotally articulated axle member constituting the axis of rotation of said devices, and means connected to vary the angular position of said axle member to control said axis of rotation of said thrust devices with respect to the plane of rotation of said propeller to provide torque control of said aircraft when said aircraft is in vertical flight and to provide a supplemental horizontal thrust to said propeller when said aircraft is in horizontal flight.

DAVID C. PRINCE.

(References on following page) REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Gallaudet July 6, 1915 Pescara Aug. 22, 1922 Pescara May 15, 1923 Pescara Feb. 10, 1925 Bushyager Dec. 21, 1926 Savoja Aug. 30, 1932 Flettner Feb. 11, 1936 Bennett Apr. 27, 1943 Pitcairn June 27, 1944 Pitcairn June 27, 1944 Number Number 

